Concrete blocks and structure built thereof



C. F. A. INGERSLEV CONCRETE BLOCKS AND STRUCTURE BUILT THEREOF Sept. 141926.

Filed Nov. 24, 1925 V 3 Sheets- -She't l WVE/Vm/ C7,? hes/e54 EVdrier/v5! Sept. 14 1926; 1,600,179

C. F. NGERSLEV I CONCRETE BLOCKS AND STRUCTURE BUILT THEREOF Filed Nov.24. 1925 3 SheetsShe'qt 2 Sept. 14 1926. 1,600,179

C. F. A. [NGERSLEV Y CONCRETE BLOCKS AND STRUCTURE BUILT THEREOF FiledNov. 24, 1925 3 Sheets-$11951. '3

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES CHRISTIAN FREDERIK AAGE INGERSLEV, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON,ENGLAND.

CONCRETE BLOCKS AND STRUCTURE BUILT THEREOF.

Application filed November 24, 1925, Serial No This invention relates toconcrete blocks, usually reinforced with metal members, and tostructures built with such blocks arranged in courses, for example,tunnel linings, walls, floors and so forth.

In tunnel linings the courses are usually arranged in the form of ringsand the term course is used in this specification and in the claims toinclude rings where such is applicable.

Attempts have been made to build structures such as above referred towith blocks provided with tongues and recesses on and in their sides sothat each block or course of blocks is so interlocked with adjacentblocks or courses that loads are transmitted from one block or course tothe other and the blocks are ca able ofresisting bending moments due tot e stresses transmitted.

The object of the invention is to obtain these effects without the useof tongues which are liable to fracture, namely, by using blocks havingplain sides and setting up sufficient friction between the sides ofadjacent blocks to permit of the necessary transmission.

lVith this object in view the blocks of alternate courses, or those ofall alternate courses, are drawn towards one another by metal ties sothat they clamp the blocks of the intervening courses between them. Theblocks are preferably increased in width at their centres so as toincrease their resist ance to bending moments at those parts and toprovide at any cross-section just enough material for the strain on thatsection. The ties connecting the blocks of alternate courses passbetween the adjoining ends of the blocks of the intervening course andare united preferably at these positions by tension-devices. The'tiesmay be interlocked with the ends of these blocks, so as to af ,fordsupport for them.

. By uniting the ties at these positions and providing the ends of theblocks with openings to permit of access tothe ties and their unions,erection is facilitated, the 'openlngs being subsequently filled in withcement grout when a continuous surface is required.

Although the sides of the blocks are herein referred to as plain, thisdoes not neces sarily mean smooth'surfaces ,as the plain sides may beroughened or otherwise ade- ,quately prepared in a manner well known inthe art for the reception. of cement rout. The plain sides of the blocksmay e so 71,182, and in Great Britain November 12, 1924.

shaped as hereinafter described that they effect a keying action. Y

The invention is not limited to any partlcular shape of block but asubstantially rhombic form is particularly suitable. The outer and innerfaces of the blocks may be flat or curved to suit the contour of thelinmg, wall or other structure, for instance, for a lining of circularcross section all the blocks are of the same curvature but for a liningof non-circular or oval cross-section the upper and lower blocks, forexample, may be of different curvature from that of the side blocks, theblocks which are intermediate of these differently curved blocks beingcurved partly to correspond to one curvature and partly to the other.

The ties may form the only reinforcement for the blocks but additionalreinforcement may be used according to requirements.

' The ties are preferably formed in short lengths set in the blocksduring moulding and adapted to be coupled during building so as to setup the required tension.

In the accompanying drawings Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a sideelevation and a plan of one form of block according to the inventionsuitable for tunnel lining. v

Figure 3 is an elevation projected on a plane parallel to one end face.1

Figure 4 is a cross section on IV-IV, Fi ure 2.

Figure 5 and 6 show, respectively, an elevation and plan of one form ofmetal reinforcement which may be adopted for the block' shown in thepreviousfigures, the outline of the block being indicated in dottedlines.

Figure 7 is a diagram indicating a number of fiat blocks built together.

7 Figure 8 is a cross-section on X.-X Fig ure 7 i Figure 9 isacross-section illustrating by Way of example a lining of ovalcross-section built with blocks of different curvature.

The form of block illustrated in Figures 1 to fhas inner and outercylindrical surfaces 1 and 2 of substantially rhombic form in plan, theacute angles of the rhombuses being cut off to'enable end faces 3, 3, tobe formed, each having a general surface radial to the centre ofcurvature of the surfaces 1 and 2. The mid-cross section of the blockand the end cross sections are trapezoidal but the trapezoidal sectionat the middle is in reverse relation to that at each end, for example,it will be seenfrom Figure 3 that the end face is substantially atrapezoid with the smaller of the parallel sides uppermost while thecross section of Each block is provided with a central tie rod '5,- theprojecting ends being screw threaded with threads of opposite hand sothat when the blocks are set together with their lateral jointing faces4; in contact the tie-rods 5 of the blocks of alternate courses can becoupled by unions 6 and drawn together firmly so that they clamp theblocks of the intermediate course between them.

' The blocks have notches 7 in their end faces to receive the ends ofthe tie rods and unions, and with notches 8 to permit of access .to theunions during building. These notches may be filled in ultimately withcement grout. The tie-rods of the blocks of two alternate courses thusprovide a support for the adjacent ends of the blocks of theintermediate course, in addition to the mutual support afforded by theabutting of the adjacent end faces 3, 3. V V

lVhen the blocks are being set or erected the jointing faces arepreferably washed with cement grout.

The outer and inner faces 1, 2, of the blocks may be flat or curvedaccording to the nature of the structure to be built or lined, and whena tunnel of oval cross-section for example is to be lined some of theblocks may be of different curvature from others. In the example shownin Figure 9 two upper and lower blocks a, Z, of each course are of asmaller radius than two side blocks 8 of the same course, while theblocks 2' intermediate of the side blocks and the upper and lowerblocks, are partly of the curvature of the side blocks and partly ofthat of the upper and lower blocks, so tliat their adjacent partsconform to one another and their adjacent lateral meeting faces maketight oints and effect keying in the manner above described. v

The blocks may be reinforced in any suitable way. In the example shownin Figures 5 and 6 the reinforcement comprises steel rods bent to formtwo frames 9 and other rods bent to form frames 10, 10, the frames beingset as shown. This arrangement is convenient as the frames are mutuallysupported in the mould.

Figures 7 and 8 show somewhat diagrammatically a number of flat blockswith their tie rods connected by unions 6. The flat blocks may bereinforced in any suitable manner. They have vertical sides 4 and are ofrectangular cross section throughout. When such blocks are suitable forfloors or roadways the tie rods need not have screw threaded unions as,other forms of union may be used.

The adjacent ends of the blocks may be spaced apart and the spacing beVaried when the courses have to be set out of parallelism to allow forcurves or other peculiar conditions.

I claim I 1. A structure composed of concrete blocks arranged incourses, with the blocks of an intermediate course fitting in betweenthe blocks of adjacent courses, the blocks of any one course beingnormally held in wedging and spaced relation by the blocks of the nextadjacent course, and 'means for drawing the spaced blocks of any twoalternate courses relative to adjacentblocks of that course to therebywedge the blocks of the intermediate course.

:2. A structure composed of courses of concrete blocks and metal tiesadapted to draw blocks of alternate courses towards one another for thepurpose of clamping-the blocks of intervening courses between them, eachof said blocks being of maximum width at a position intermediate of itsends for the purpose'of increasing the resistance to bending moments atthat part and said metal ties passing through said blocks at said posi-.tions of maximum width, substantially as here'inbefore set forth.

3. A structure composed of courses of concrete blocks and metal tiesadapted to draw blocks'of alternate courses towards one another for thepurpose of wedging the blocks of intervening courses between them, saidbloc is each having a metal tie passing through it, and tension devicesfor uniting the adjacent ends of the metal ties of the blocks ofalternate courses, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore setforth.

4. Astructure composed of courses ofconcrete blocks, said blocks havingplain sides and being set so that the ends of the blocks of one courseare opposite to the centres of the blocks of adjacent courses, and metalties passing through the centres of the blocks of alternate courses andbetween the ends of the blocks of the intervening courses, said tiallyas hereinbefore set forth.

5. A structure composed of courses of.

concrete blocks, said blocks having plain sides and being of greaterwidth at their centres than at their ends, metal ties embedded in saidblocks and projecting from the sides thereof at positions intermediateof their ends, said ends of said blocks being provided with notches,said blocks being set so that the ends of blocks of one course areopposite to the centres of the blocks of adjacent courses and the metalties of the blocks of alternate courses enter the notches in the ends ofthe blocks of intervening courses, substantially as and for the purposeshereinbefore set forth.

6. A structure composed of courses of concrete blocks of substantiallyrhombic form in plan and having plain sides, said blocks having metalties embedded therein and projecting from two lateral edges, and meansfor joining the adjacent ends of the ties of the blocks of alternatecourses for the purpose of drawing said blocks towards one another toclamp the blocks of intervening coursesbetween them, substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

7. A structure composed of courses of concrete blocks having asubstantially rhombic form in plan, plain sides and curved inner andouter faces, and provided with metal ties for the purpose of tying theblocks of alternate courses together and clamping the blocks of onecourse between those of two adjacent courses, substantially ashereinbefore set forth.

8. A structure composed of courses of concrete blocks, the blocks of allalternate courses being tied together and formed to. wedge the blocks ofintervening courses between them, each block being of substantiallyrhombic form in plan, having plain sides, curved inner and outer faces,and trapezoidal cross sections at the middle and at the ends, thetrapezoidal mid section being in reversed relation to that of each endsection, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

9. A tunnel lining composed of rings of concrete blocks and metal tieswhich draw the blocks of all alternate rings towards one another towedge the blocks of intervening rings between them, said blocks beingcurved on their inner and outer faces, blocks different parts of thelining being of dif ferent curvature, and other blocks of other parts ofthe tunnel intermediate of and joining the said blocks of differentcurvature, each having a curvature corresponding in part to that of theblocks with which it joins, substantially as and fo the purposehereinbefore set forth. 7

10. A'tunnel lining composed of rings of concrete blocks and metal tieswhich draw the blocks of all alternate rings towards one another towedge the blocks of intervening rings between them, said blocks being ofsubstantially rhombic form in plan, having plain sides and curved innerand outer faces, the curvature of the inner and outer faces of theblocks of the upper and lower parts of the lining being different tothat for the inner and outer faces of the blocks for the sides of saidlining, the blocks intermediate of and connecting the upper and lowerparts of the lining to the blocks of the sides thereof having theirinner and outer faces of a curvature corresponding in part to that ofthe blocks with which they join, substantially as and for the purposehereinbefore set forth.

11. A concrete block for use in building walls, linings and floors,having asubstantially rhombic form in plan, plain sides, curved innerand outer faces, and cross sec tions at the middle and ends ofrelatively reversed trapezoidal form, said block also having a metal tiepassing laterally through the block at its middle trapezoidal section,substantially as and for the purpose hereinbeforeset forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHRISTIAN FREDERIK AAGE INGERSLEV.

